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Since the creation of Valandre in 1980, the Bering jacket has been their flagship high-altitude parka. Conceived in the beginning at the work shop in Belcaire, France under the code name "the B", this parka was developed by Maurice Barrard, president of the Himalayan section of the French Alpine Club. It is certainly the warmest mountaineering jacket you can buy on GearX.com, although it's not available in our Burlington store; for more details on that, see below.

When Maurice Barrard was climbing K2 in 1979, there was no parka in the world suitable for ultra-light high altitude climbing without oxygen. The Bering was the first jacket designed from the start, with high altitude non ox assaults in mind. The "B" features 32 compartments that fix 502 grams of 850+ fill French goose down right where it should be, including 5 different triangle-shaped compartments to cover the shoulders - an engineering triumph still unmatched by any other expedition parka. The density of the down filling varies by zone, from extremely high density in the shoulders (resisting compression from pack straps) to lower density near the waist.

A double front zip system, backed by a storm flap, and semi-elasticated draw cord in the collar offer a effective protection against violent winds and drifting ice. Several adjustment system allow ventilation as the temperature rises, as "over heating" is no fun as well.

A detachable semi-tunnel hood is fixed to the collar by a zipper. And this system is backed up by a second system of Velcro, running just below the zipper. The advantage of this system is double: the zipper can't freeze and no violent wind gust can rip it off. The hood has a reinforced peak that can be adjusted on the back of the neck, allowing optimal integration of the goggles, with only very little direct exposure of the face to the cold winds.

Specifications:

Total Weight: 41.9 oz (1187g)

Down Fill Weight: 17.7 oz (502g)

Operating temperature: -22oF / -30o C

Please note that Valandre products ordered through GearX.com ship directly from the US distributor in Utah. So, you won't find them if you come into our Burlington store. We're bummed about that too.